We review the Audi A6 Avant from price to economy and all its features

Road Test

by The Sun

1st October 2011, 1:16 pm

Updated: 8th February 2017, 12:13 pm

NEVER mind the rumble in the jungle, BMW and Audi are exchanging blows in the company car parks.

The big German firms are ripping up the history books with record sales.

And as the two heavyweight firms slug it out, Audi are ready to deliver a knockout punch in the UK — thanks to their vital new A6 Avant.

Beemer remain the No1 exec firm in the world but Audi are right up their tailpipes as Europe’s top premium firm.

Global sales of BMWs in the January-to-August period rose 17 per cent compared to the first eight months last year. That was 1.07million cars — and they aim to hit the 1.6m mark for 2011.

Audi, meanwhile, also saw sales soar by 17 per cent in August. They hit 94,100 worldwide and are on course to deliver 1.3m sales this year.

However, in the UK, the four rings are currently kings. Audi are ahead with 73,736 compared to BMWs 72,543. Audi may be ready to give Beemer a bloody nose in the heavyweight battle — and it could be down to their lightweight Avant.

The new Avant is virtually the same size as its predecessor and comes with more standard equipment.

However, Audi have managed to make it much more spacious by stretching the wheelbase by 70mm, and lighter by using aluminium instead of steel for around 20 per cent of the body.

That results in outstanding fuel economy and best-in-class company car benefits.

The entry-level engine is a 2litre diesel. It is the pick of the range and I drove one last week.

Not only is it smooth and refined but it averages 56.5mpg and emits just 129g/km of carbon dioxide.

That puts the car in band D for Vehicle Excise Duty and the 18 per cent bracket for company car drivers.

The equivalent 5 Series is taxed at 20 and the E-Class at 23 per cent.

On the road, it’s typical Audi stuff — a quality motoring mile-muncher which is glued on through the corners. And it certainly delivers all the power you’ll ever need.

The steering is light and undemanding around town and although the ride can get a tad jiggly, it’s rarely uncomfortable.

Upgrade to S line trim (or specify an SE car with the £410 sports suspension package) and the car is lowered by 20mm so there’s a more sporty performance.

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Unfortunately, this set-up also makes the ride extremely firm and spoils the experience.

That is somewhat frustrating because the stonking 18in alloys on the S Line substantially increase the desirability of the Avant.

Probably the best compromise is that Audi also offer the standard SE suspension (it’s another no-cost option) for those who like the sportier looks of S line models, but don’t want to feel every imperfection in the road.

The 3litre diesel — which is available in 201bhp front-wheel-drive and 242bhp quattro forms — is even stronger and smoother, but running costs will obviously be higher than they are for the 2litre.

The line-up is completed by a 3litre turbo petrol and next February, a new twin-turbo 3litre diesel that gives the Avant serious performance of 0-62mph in just 5.4 seconds.

Inside, it oozes usual Audi quality.

The sleek boot is well shaped and there are lots of practical touches, including straps, lashing points and an optional hands-free opening system that raises the tailgate when you wave a foot beneath the rear bumper. That’s particularly useful when you have loads of shopping or young kids.

The acid test for any estate is load capacity. There’s 565 litres of space with rear seats upright, five litres more than in a BMW 5 Series Touring.

Fold the seats down (simple-to-use levers either side of the boot do the job) and there’s 1,680litres to fill. That’s 10litres more than in the BMW. However, the Audi can’t match the Merc E-Class Estate, with its massive 1,950litre load bay.

Few manufacturers do interior design as well as Audi. Everything looks and feels classy — standard kit is decent with leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control and sat nav.

There’s neat touches too like the way the 6.5in colour sat-nav screen swivels out of the dash when you start the car and the MMI (Multi Media Interface) is easy to use.

It goes on sale next month, prices starting at £32,100 for the 2litre diesel going up to £43,480 for the 3litre S-Line petrol quattro.

While it lacks the space of the Merc, the A6 Avant 2litre diesel delivers on everything else — especially for company car drivers.

The current model outsold all its peers two-to-one, this is a better car and will keep its rivals on the ropes.

And its sales power may just give Audi the extra punch to land an ever bigger blow to BMW.

What to look out for when buying a used Audi A6 Mk 4 (2011-)

With most of the latest generation of A6s still under warranty, any glitches that have cropped up seem to have been mopped up by dealers.